Seeing Red
by BatYisrael
Summary: What would have happened if Lisbon had gone blind instead of Jane?
1. Chapter 1

He wasn't moving, just staring intently at the struggling man. She watched the clock tick down, 3…2…he still wouldn't move. Her voice was hoarse, and she was no longer thinking. She had to save him. At the last second, she ran in front of Jane, knocking him as far out of the way as she could. They both ran as fast as they could until…BOOM. They went flying. The last thing she saw was the pavement rushing up to meet her, and then the world went black.

She woke to someone persistently shaking her. _Has to be Jane,_ she thought to herself. _Can't he see I'm sleeping?_ Hold on a sec, why _was_ she sleeping? "Lisbon," he was saying, "Lisbon, wake up. Please, Lisbon." There was unmasked fear in his voice. She shifted, noticing that she was cradled in his arms, making her blush. She opened her eyes. Nothing. She closed and opened them again. Nothing. Jane felt her tense. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Jane?" she said, making his name sound like a question. "Jane, I can't see!"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this, but I loved the reviews I got, So I decided to post the next part today. I'm currently writing part 4 and typing up part 3. Next chapter will be MUCH longer, which is why it's taking so long to type up. It won't be up until much later tomorrow. Sorry! Enjoy this part for now.**

The ride to the hospital was hell for Jane. They had tried to bar him from getting onto the ambulance with Lisbon. Rather than trying to charm his way on, he fixed the paramedic in his way with the coldest stare he could manage. The terrified man had stepped aside.

Now he was standing beside her, holding her hand, stroking it with his thumb, telling her everything would be okay. She was trying to be stoic about it, but Jane didn't need his amazing intuition to know that she was in pain. Her mouth was arranged in a brave grimace. She was clutching at his hand and her muscles were tense. He reached out and brushed some hair off of her face. The corner of her lip twitched up in a half smile, and she squeezed his hand. She squeezed even tighter when they went over a bump in the road, causing her to gasp in pain. Jane himself was covered in small cuts and bruises, but Lisbon had taken most of the damage. He frowned, hating to see her hurt and scared and hating that it was his fault.

"Lisbon-" he started. She opened her mouth, ready to tell him that it had nothing to do with him, that she didn't blamed him, but he read her thoughts and cut her off. "Lisbon, it _is_ my fault," he said sadly. "I'm so, so sorry." He wrapped his hand around hers just a tiny bit tighter.

She squeezed back weakly as he watched her fall into a dreamless, drug-induced sleep. They reached the hospital after a few quiet minutes and were pulling up in front of the doors. He kissed her on the forehead and murmured, "I'm sorry, Teresa," before she was swept off into the hospital.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So here it is! I'm typing up part four, it should be up maybe tomorrow. Quicker than usual because I can't actually do anything right now. I'm the only person who could sprain her foot falling UP the stairs.**

**I just realized that I have not yet added a disclaimer. If I owned this, there would be no janitors allowed on the show...ever.  
**

Jane was pacing back and forth across the waiting room. He had impatiently waved off the nurse who had tried to clean him up. He had instead opted for a cup of tea to soothe his nerves. It hadn't helped. Patrick Jane was _not_ a patient man. He tried to focus his mind on other images, but it was no use. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the terrified expression on Lisbon's face when she realized that she couldn't see.

He all but pounced on the nurse who came in to bring him to Lisbon. He fired a million questions at the poor woman about his boss's condition. She continually told him that she didn't know anything for certain, that the doctor would be in the room in a few minutes to talk to them and explain the situation. She left him at the door to a room that was identical to every other one in the hall. What was special for Jane about this specific door was the woman waiting for him behind it.

He entered quietly in case she was sleeping. Lisbon was. She looked like a child, curled up in a ball on her side with raven curls tumbling down around her face. He brushed them tenderly off of her cheek before settling himself in the chair next to her bed. He noticed with displeasure the gauze that was taped over her eyes, keeping them closed and protected.

It took around ten minutes for the doctor to come in, and by then the normally cool headed Jane had managed to convince himself that something had gone horrible wrong and they were notifying next of kin. The now awake Lisbon was huffing in and out, also annoyed with the long wait. When the doctor finally appeared, she walked in briskly, shook his hand briskly, drew the curtains around the bed briskly. At Jane's anxious, questioning look, the doctor began to give her report. "Two sprains, one in the left ankle, the other in the right wrist. A few lacerations and abrasions on the arms, mostly minor, few stitches. The blindness is temporary, 48 to 72 hours minimum, though."

Jane and Lisbon both let out a breath. Jane looked down at Lisbon, feeling a little less guilty than he had before. When he looked up again, the doctor continued. "Small blood clots probably formed on impact, impeding her sight. We should probably keep her here until her vision returns. She needs to rest."

Jane opened his mouth to argue, but Lisbon placed a restraining hand on his arm to stop him. The gentle coolness of it startled him into silence. It was Lisbon who spoke instead. "I'm sorry, doctor, but that's out of the question," she said. "I need to be with my team."

The doctor nodded. "That's understandable, but we still need to run some tests." At Jane's impatient look, she added, "but they shouldn't take more than a few hours. You can go back to work then, but take it easy. No running, and try not to get too excited." After Lisbon had promised to follow orders, she left.

"I'll stay here with you!" Jane said cheerily. "I'm sure you'll want some company while you wait." Lisbon didn't need to be able to see to know that his signature brilliant white, obnoxiously heart-stopping smile was plastered across his angel-like features.

"Wipe that grin off your face or I'll slap it off," she said irritably. She could almost _hear_ his smile widen. "I don't want any company right now, thank you very much. And they'll need you on the case." Really, she just hated feeling so vulnerable, and she didn't want Jane to pick up on that. The last thing she wanted was to give him more insight into the workings of her mind. He had, of course, already picked up on it, but he liked to let her think that she could lie to him every once in a while. "Go read somebody's mind or something," she grumbled.

Jane gathered up his coat. It was covered in blood and rubble, and he knew he probably didn't look much better than the piece of clothing. He made a mental note to change on the way back. He'd change into a new suit, a clean one, presenting the carefully perfect, unafraid mask. Really, he wanted to die for hurting Lisbon. Despite feeling guilty, he couldn't help poking a little bit of fun at her. "You shouldn't get so angry, Lisbon," he smirked. "Doctor's orders."

If she hadn't been blinded, the plastic cup Lisbon hurled in his direction as he ran, laughing out the door probably would have left a welt.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Wrote this because I'm still stuck here on the couch. I DO, however, have to study, so the next part of it might not be up until Saturday. =( Sorry. But I am putting up another little oneshot to tide you all over until then, if you'd like to read it (read: pretty pretty please!). My computer keeps trying to restart to "install important updates," so it might take a little while.**

**Disclaimer: If they were mine, Barbie and Ken dolls would be replaced.  
**

Jane stepped out of his car, smiling but more than a little bit afraid inside. Lisbon hadn't said much on the phone, just growled "Get your ass over here, Jane." He didn't question. He knew not to question that tone of voice. He had just hung up his phone, got into his car, and started to drive. Waiting for the elevator, he tapped his finger on the lid of the coffee cup he was holding. He was holding his peace offering out in front of him, ready to use it as a shield if necessary.

Lisbon could hear Jane's annoyingly shiny shoes clicking slightly on the floor as he entered. "What the hell took so long, Jane?" she demanded. "I've been waiting for more than-" Jane waved the coffee under her nose and she stopped, grabbing it eagerly. "We'll discuss this later," she mumbled around the lid as she took a long, slow sip. "Thanks, Jane," she added grudgingly after a moment or two. "The stuff they serve here is crap."

"Obviously," he chuckled, smirking at her. She brushed her hair away from her face and laughed a little. Jane's expression immediately darkened. There was a cut running down her cheek that he hadn't noticed before. Lisbon made a confused face at his silence. He reached out and ran his finger alongside the scratch before letting his hand rest under her chin. "I'm sorry," he finally said. "I really hate seeing you hurt, even more if it's my fault."

"Occupational hazard," she said offhandedly. She brought her own hand up to Jane's, wrapping her fingers around his palm where it was resting on her chin. She smiled a little when he started slightly at her touch. "You're surprised," she bluntly pointed out. "Why is that? You touch other people all the time, but you never let them touch you."

"Since when do you ask questions like that?" Jane asked, trying to mask exactly how much she had thrown him off and how much he enjoyed her small, cool hand wrapped around his bigger, warm one. He scrambled, trying to keep his usual composure. "That's _my_ job," he teased. "Besides, that wasn't why I jumped. Your hands are cold.'

She laughed, and he was glad because it made some of the worry lines disappear from her face. He knew he had caused most of them. "Of course that's why," Lisbon said, smiling cheekily at him, and he was pretty sure he heard a mumbled _smart ass_ tacked onto the end. "Anyway, let's get out of here," she said, stretching out her hand, grasping for the smooth fabric of Jane's suit. Finding him, she pulled herself up so that she was standing face to face with him.

Jane smiled his cat-got-the-canary smile at her closeness. Despite everything they had been through in the past eight hours, all of the stress, he wanted to kiss Lisbon. She was right there, already holding onto his shirt. He probably would have, too, if a small cough at the door hadn't caused them both to whip around. The doctor was standing at the door. Lisbon stepped quickly away from Jane, dropping his lapels and blushing furiously. The doctor handed a stack of papers to Jane. "Her release forms," she said by way of explanation. Jane nodded and tucked them under his arm. "Remember what I said," she continued, turning to Lisbon. "Take it easy. I'd stick to paperwork for a while." She motioned to Jane with a knowing smile. "I bet that with this one, there's a lot of paper work." Jane groaned inwardly, knowing that he'd be the one doing all of the typing. "Other than that, you're set to leave." She shook hands with both of them and then swept out of the room to see her other patients.

Lisbon reached out and gripped Jane's shoulder and they made their way out at last.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So sorry this took longer than expected! To make up for it, the chapter's longer than expected! Yay! I wish I could say that more enthusiastically, but I have no voice.**

**Disclaimer: If they were mine, I'd say_ everything_ enthusiastically. But they're not.**

The first thing Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt heard was a clicking sound. Having just been through the aftermath of an explosion, the sound set them on edge. When the sound was followed by a glimpse of the smiling face of Patrick Jane, they all thought that they were done for. They let out their collective breath when the dangerously charming man was followed by their boss. She was grumbling something along the lines of "I could have driven better than you did blind." His reply was a simple smirk as he led her into her office and sat her down in the chair behind her desk.

"Thanks, Jane," she said, annoyed and distracted. She hated needing help. All she really wanted was a hot cup of tea and, if she was lucky, a nap. What she would probably get was a couple of painkillers in a futile attempt to numb the throbbing headache that was threatening behind her eyes. "What am I supposed to do," she asked him, realizing for the first time that day that her blindness rendered her pretty much useless.

"Not to worry," was the cheerful reply. Lisbon started worrying. Jane was beaming at her, she could _feel_ it. The worst part was not being able to shoot him a warning glare. She had the urge to take the bandages off to do just that, but decided it wasn't worth the hassle. She heard a muffled thump, and then Jane's hand was on hers. She jumped at the sudden touch, just barely stopping herself from snatching her hand away. "Relax, Lisbon," Jane murmured into her ear, putting her hand on the smooth, plastic, angular object that he had placed on her desk. His large hand around her little one and his warm breath on her neck made Lisbon shiver a little. When Jane felt this, he chuckled a little, and she wanted to punch him. Her angry feelings melted into a completely different emotion when he breathed into her ear again. "These are the tapes from the interviews that Rigsby and Cho conducted with friends and family while you were in the hospital."

"Thanks," Lisbon tried to choke out. It came out hoarse and strangled. She cleared her throat. "Thank you, Jane," she said in a more professional voice, trying to ignore the effect his proximity was having on her. He put both hands on her shoulders, trying to rub out some of the tension that was centered there and Lisbon had to bite down hard on her bottom lip. He snickered quietly to himself again, but Lisbon was in no condition to want to cause him physical harm this time. He was carefully making very sure of that.

Van Pelt's cough at the door caused Lisbon to jump. She twisted, trying to get out from under Jane's hands, embarrassed to be seen with the consultant so close to her. Jane, despite, or perhaps because of, her obvious discomfort, held on more tightly to her, thumbs rubbing at the tensely knotted area in between her shoulder blades until she gave in. Then, he turned his full, charming, grinning attention on Van Pelt. "What can we help you with, Grace?" he asked her cheerily with one of his most high-wattage, white-toothed smiles.

Lisbon could hear the stutter in Van Pelt's voice when she spoke. She was still dazzled by Jane, despite her obvious feelings for Rigsby. Lisbon really had to speak to him about that-it really wasn't fair of him to do that to nearly every woman with in a ten mile radius. They would never stand a chance against the beautiful mask that he always wore. "I-I need to, h, show-I mean-have you listen to a couple of things that Cho found in his search, boss," she said, and Lisbon knew a deep blush was painting the poor girl's face.

Lisbon nodded and then turned to Jane. "Please, I'm begging you. _Please_ don't break anything, get arrested, or in any other way inconvenience me, yourself, or the department while I'm gone. Are we clear?" she asked, knowing she was hoping for the impossible. Jane's snicker was the only answer she got. With Van Pelt's help, she got up and walked out the door.

xxxxx

She was trying to avoid help at all costs, even the stupid stick that they had given her at the hospital to avoid running into posts, walls, and people. Lisbon knew that her decision would probably mean trouble, especially with Patrick Jane lurking around the building, but she was too stubborn to care. She was the boss. Besides, she knew her way around the office. She reached her office door, strode quickly and purposefully through…and tripped. She flipped over on her back and landed on something smooth. She sniffed. Whatever she had landed on smelled like leather, and Jane's cologne. A strong arm snaked around her waist, right as she was about to twist quickly around and demand angrily and impatiently, "Jane, what the hell is your couch doing in the middle of my office?"

He laughed when she landed on top of him, stretching lazily. "Really Teresa, you're very attractive, but don't you think we should at least go out to dinner first?" When her elbow darted threateningly towards his stomach, he gave her a slightly more serious answer. "I don't feel safe leaving you alone. You obviously can't be trusted even to walk by yourself. That doctor, annoying as she was, told me to keep my eyes on you. I don't want to be uncomfortable while I'm following her instructions, hence my couch, which is, by the way, to the side, not in the middle of your office," he said, all with his most brilliant smile on his face. He had no idea why he was smiling, as Lisbon couldn't see him, but he did anyway.

She grumbled, pushing against his arm, trying to free herself and get back to work on the interview tapes waiting for her on her desk. Jane, of course, tightened his hold on her. "Oh, no you don't," he said contentedly into her hair. "You need sleep, and I intend-" He paused for a moment as she tried to get up again, then continued, "to make sure that you get it. Just relax, Lisbon. It'll help you think more clearly. Really, how do you think I get all of my most brilliant ideas? I nap." He laughed again, but it was a softer laugh.

Lisbon was trying to be angry. She was outraged at being held captive against her will, but she _was_ tired. As she gave in just a little bit to him, she could feel in her bones how much she needed a moment to rest. With a deep exhale, she muttered "Okay." Jane smiled wider, and ran his fingers through her hair soothingly. "But seriously, wake me up in fifteen minutes, okay Jane?" He made affirmative, comforting noises. "I mean it, Jane. I have to get back to work." He just kept mm-hming until she finally surrendered to the tiredness in her body and the calming rhythm of his hands going gently through her hair.

Jane could feel when Lisbon's muscles completely relaxed. She let out all of the tension in her body and just settled in next to him. Jane didn't want to admit to himself how easily he could get used to that feeling. Instead, he just placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head and said, "Sleep well, Teresa," before he let himself slip into sleep alongside her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Finally, last chapter! Sorry this has taken so long. I've had to deal with a lot this week! Thanks to everyone who came along for the ride. This is the longest story I've ever written for FanFic! I hope you enjoyed it. There'll be a oneshot up eventually to make up for me taking so long on this. It's the longest chapter yet, so hopefully it'll make up for the wait. Thanks to kathiann for telling me that I should actually write about this idea. =)**

**Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing them. I'll try to make sure they don't get lost or broken.**

Jane, showing the first sign of a sense of self preservation Lisbon had seen since she'd met him, was out of the room when she woke up. _Damn him._ What time was it? She grabbed the stick that Jane had so _considerately_ propped against the couch and made her way slowly out of the office into the bull pen. It was strangely quiet. If Jane had let her sleep and gone home for the night without her, she was ready to kill him in a heartbeat.

She went outside and heard Van Pelt talking to a man. It wasn't Jane's overly confident voice. Plus, Van Pelt wasn't flustered enough for it to be him. That also meant that it couldn't be Rigsby in the kitchen-the voice wasn't deep or enthusiastic enough, but it also wasn't Cho's deadpan. She followed the sound into the kitchen using the stick this time, wary of whatever crap Jane might pull next. Her slightly overactive imagination was conjuring images of tricky mentalists hiding in the shadows around every corner. She shook her head, imagining the hell that would come with more than one Jane in the CBI. She laughed, and then shuddered.

"Hey boss," Van Pelt greeted Lisbon, obviously excited about whatever was going on. "This is my friend, Dan," she said, a little embarrassed. Lisbon could nearly hear the blood rushing to the junior agent's cheeks. "Dan, this is my boss, Agent Lisbon." They both muttered the obligatory pleasure-to-meet-yous and Dan's rough hand found hers and shook it firmly. "Dan's a lawyer," Van Pelt said, babbling a little in an attempt to alleviate the awkward silence that had descended on the group. Lisbon thought it was odd that a man with a very non-physical job had such calloused hands. She pushed that information to the back of her mind, ignoring it for the moment, but still keeping it filed away. She almost shivered at the experience-she was slowly turning into Jane.

"That's nice," Lisbon said absently, obviously lost in her thoughts. "Are you two going to take off now?" she asked. Van Pelt answered in the affirmative and asked if there was anything they could do before they left. Lisbon shook her head. "I'm going to grab a bite to eat and then call it a night, I think. Where's Cho? I was going to ask him for a ride to my apartment."

"Gone to interview a suspect."

"Rigsby?"

"Off getting a pizza, if I know Rigsby."

"Oh, God, please don't tell me I'll have to ride home with Jane. I've had all the danger and excitement and near-death experiences I can handle for the entire next year.

"I haven't even seen him," Van Pelt said, realizing for the first time how strange that was. "He disappeared before you woke up, left a couple of hours ago, I think. Didn't say why."

"Smart man." All three chuckled.

"We could drop you off before we go get dinner," Dan offered kindly. "It really wouldn't be a problem." Lisbon took a moment to deliberate. She _really_ wanted to avoid a car ride with Jane. She wasn't even sure he'd come within a five mile radius of her without a signed document stating that no physical harm would come to him. That was a promise that she wasn't sure she could make or keep at the moment. On the other hand, she didn't know Dan. She wasn't entirely certain if she was okay with the idea of a stranger knowing her address.

She was saved from having to give Dan her answer by her phone going off. "Lisbon," she answered curtly.

"Hey boss." It was Cho. "We found the husband. Remember they had a son? He lives in the area, goes by the name Dan Hollebeck. There's no way the husband did it. He's a total wreck-lost everything after the divorce. The son, though, he's angry. Be careful."

Lisbon's face paled, but she tried to sound nonchalant. "Yeah, thanks, Cho. Hey-Agent Teresa needs your help at Jane's place. Meet her there. Talk to you later." She snapped the phone shut as she reached for her gun.

"Don't even think about it," the lawyer's voice came from behind her, shaking a little bit from nerves. "Take out your gun and your cuffs and lay them down on the ground." When Lisbon hesitated, trying to buy some time, he became more agitated. "Do it! Do it right now, or I swear I'll put a bullet right through Grace's pretty little head." She put both items on the floor in front of her, letting him feel like he was in control of the situation. "Kick them away," he said curtly. Lisbon followed his instructions, kicking them to the side so that she couldn't reach them but Dan couldn't, either. "Cuff your hands behind your back," he said, presumably to Van Pelt. Lisbon heard the cold, metallic click of the junior agent doing as she was told. "Good. Lisbon, drop your stick." A protest formed itself unbidden on her lips, but she banished it, lowering the requested piece to the floor with a soft clatter. "Hold on to Grace's shoulder. We'll leave in her car."

They were heading toward the elevator when Lisbon heard the soft, welcome _ding_ of the metal elevator doors reaching their floor and creaking slowly open. Lisbon thought she heard Van Pelt mutter "Oh, thank God," under her breath. She couldn't be sure, as her own pulse was roaring in her ears. "Drop your weapon," a stern male voice said from the direction of the doors. Lisbon's knees nearly buckled under her with relief. It was Cho.

"No way, man," Dan said, voice changing pitch frantically. "I'm in this way too deep to let anything go now." Anywhere else, those words would have sounded over-dramatic and soap-opera-like. Here, they just caused Lisbon to start praying and wishing silently to every god, saint, and spirit she had ever heard of that they would make it out of this alive. The man was desperate; he would do anything. An idea seemed to strike him. "You have to let me go. I have two hostages."

"And I have a gun to your head," was the cold reply. If her knees had buckled before, now Lisbon nearly fell to the ground and wept. Patrick Jane was a pain in the ass, but she had never been more thankful to hear his voice. "Drop the weapon," he said, and his voice had a scary hollow undertone to it that Lisbon had only heard once before, when he was telling her of his plans for Red John. Someone was threatening his team. He didn't know when he had started thinking of himself as one of them, but he was ready to kill for them if he needed to.

The gun clattered to the floor as Cho began reciting his rights.

Lisbon was sitting on Jane's couch. She had forced him to move it back out of her office, insisting that her eyes would be better soon anyway. Jane hadn't really had a say, as he was off somewhere at the time, and Rigsby and Cho put the furniture back as it had been before. Still, she had had to admit that it was much more comfortable than her desk chair. She removed the sunglasses slowly, carefully peeling the gauze pads and tape away from her eyes. She started, blinking quickly to clear her vision. Patrick Jane was crouched right in front of her, staring straight into her eyes. The depth of his gaze made her blush, and he grinned widely. Lisbon couldn't help but smile as well, elated just to see that infamous smirk again.

"Let's play a game," he said. It was so random, just from out of the blue. No "How are you?" No "Glad to see your eyes are better." Just "Let's play a game!" That was Jane, though. Lisbon shot him an incredulous look. It was a bit odd, even for Jane. "Seriously, I want to see what you learned while you were blind. Please?" he wheedled, "I'll be your best friend!"

"That's the scariest idea I've heard in my entire life."

"I'm offended! I saved your life, remember."

"Fair enough."

"Wonderful! Close your eyes."

Knitting her eyebrows together confusedly, Lisbon did so, awaiting further instructions. Instead, she just felt a slight pressure against her lips. By the time she had registered that Patrick Jane had just kissed her, he was out the door and gone.

Lisbon decided that it was time for her to go as well. On the way out, she knocked into a janitor. She smiled brightly at him. 'It's too late to be cleaning bathrooms," she said kindly. "Go home." The man agreed, and they both went happily back to their homes.


End file.
